4 Ways to Use Art in Your Home

In my opinion, a house is not a home without art! But often people are intimidated about designing with, and around, art. You needn’t be a museum curator to incorporate art into your home, so today I thought I’d share some professional interior design advice for for turning your house into a home, using art as a foundation.

1. Art as Inspiration

If you have a painting or sculpture you absolutely adore, use it as the inspirational starting point for your room, and let it guide all decisions moving forward. There is no shame in matching the color palette of your room to a masterpiece! Conversely, you don’t need to use the colors at all, rather use the tone of the work to drive the space.

Francis Sultana

2. Create a Focal Point

Art is a fabulous way to create a focal point in a space, as every room needs a visual “anchor.” An otherwise bland, boxy room can be instantly elevated with the right choice of art, as I did in a awkwardly shaped room in the 2017 ASID-Texas Gulf Coast Chapter Designer Show House. A blank inset wall was turned into the centerpiece of a home gym, with the addition of a dynamic, attention-grabbing abstract painting.

Beth Lindsey Interior Design

3. Create a Gallery Space

One way to create instant drama with art is to create a gallery within your home. It can be as simple as a row of paintings by an artist you collect, a grouping of thrift store finds, or a collection of photography as shown below. Tips would be to keep your gallery style group tight - you want them to read as a group. And for maximum impact, a uniform style of framing keeps things cohesive.

Neil Beckstedt

4. Art as an Accessory

Art doesn’t always have to be a focal point, or hung and lit as if in a museum. There is nothing wrong with leaning a few paintings against the wall on the floor or on a shelf. In my HGTV Brother vs. Brother living room, I casually leaned a couple of canvases on the floating shelves I designed. By doing so, I was able to continue the cheerful, coastal color theme up onto the double-height wall, and also balance the voids of the television and fireplace with more large shapes above.

Beth Lindsey Interior Design

Use these ideas to add original art to your home. It will help show your personality and give you a unique look!